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Sublime to crazy: 5 concept SUVs, cars wow the Detroit auto show

Evan Saunders, 32 of Pasadena, CA rides on a URB-E electric scooter at AutoMobili-D at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit on Jan. 17, 2018. The model weighs 35 pounds, has a range of 20 miles with a top speed of 18 mph, all on one charge. Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

What's hot at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show

Evan Saunders, 32 of Pasadena, CA rides on a URB-E electric scooter at AutoMobili-D at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit on Jan. 17, 2018. The model weighs 35 pounds, has a range of 20 miles with a top speed of 18 mph, all on one charge.
Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

Jason Hsieh, an automotive engineer from Santa Clarita, CA tries out the Nervteh driving simulator at AutoMobili-D at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit on Jan. 17, 2018. The simulator and software measures people driving style and reaction times helping to improve navigation and self driving. Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

What's hot at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show

Jason Hsieh, an automotive engineer from Santa Clarita, CA tries out the Nervteh driving simulator at AutoMobili-D at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit on Jan. 17, 2018. The simulator and software measures people driving style and reaction times helping to improve navigation and self driving.
Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

Jason Hsieh, an automotive engineer from Santa Clarita, CA. tries out the Nervteh driving simulator at AutoMobili-D at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit on Jan. 17, 2018. The simulator and software measures people driving style and reaction times helping to improve navigation and self driving. Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

What's hot at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show

Jason Hsieh, an automotive engineer from Santa Clarita, CA. tries out the Nervteh driving simulator at AutoMobili-D at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit on Jan. 17, 2018. The simulator and software measures people driving style and reaction times helping to improve navigation and self driving.
Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

Enride, a company making and developing autonomous deliver trucks, on display at AutoMobili-D at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit on Jan. 17, 2018. Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

What's hot at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show

Enride, a company making and developing autonomous deliver trucks, on display at AutoMobili-D at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit on Jan. 17, 2018.
Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

Mobi-One model of their Airspace X passenger and cargo aircraft is on display at AutoMobili-D at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018. When built the fully autonomous or pilot assisted aircraft can hold two to four people with cargo, travel 65 miles and comes in electric or a hybrid version. [Via MerlinFTP Drop] Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press

What's hot at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show

Mobi-One model of their Airspace X passenger and cargo aircraft is on display at AutoMobili-D at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018. When built the fully autonomous or pilot assisted aircraft can hold two to four people with cargo, travel 65 miles and comes in electric or a hybrid version. [Via MerlinFTP Drop]
Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press

What's hot at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show

This photo shows the interior of the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado High Country pickup after it was unveiled onJan. 13, 2018, in Detroit. The Silverado is the second-best selling vehicle in the U.S. and is outsold only by Ford's F-Series pickups. Big pickup truck sales rose nearly 6 percent last year to almost 2.4 million, even though total U.S. auto sales dropped 2 percent. One in every seven vehicles sold last year was a full-size pickup. Carlos Osorio, AP

What's hot at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show

This photo shows the interior of the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado High Country pickup after it was unveiled onJan. 13, 2018, in Detroit. The Silverado is the second-best selling vehicle in the U.S. and is outsold only by Ford's F-Series pickups. Big pickup truck sales rose nearly 6 percent last year to almost 2.4 million, even though total U.S. auto sales dropped 2 percent. One in every seven vehicles sold last year was a full-size pickup.
Carlos Osorio, AP

Media and guests attend a special presentation of the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck as part of the media preview at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan on Jan. 13, 2018. Tannen Maury, EPA-EFE

What's hot at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show

Media and guests attend a special presentation of the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck as part of the media preview at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan on Jan. 13, 2018.
Tannen Maury, EPA-EFE

People take photos of a Rolls-Royce Dawn during the Gallery held at Cobo Center. Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

What's hot at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show

People take photos of a Rolls-Royce Dawn during the Gallery held at Cobo Center.
Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

Gina Coleman of Beverly Hills, and her friend Lisa Mills pose for a photo in a Rolls-Royce Dawn during the Gallery held at Cobo Center. Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

What's hot at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show

Gina Coleman of Beverly Hills, and her friend Lisa Mills pose for a photo in a Rolls-Royce Dawn during the Gallery held at Cobo Center.
Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

People check out the 2018 Ferrari 488GTB during the Gallery held at Cobo Center. Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

What's hot at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show

People check out the 2018 Ferrari 488GTB during the Gallery held at Cobo Center.
Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

Sabrina Livermore of Novi, checks out the interior of a 2018 Ferrari 488GTB during the Gallery held at Cobo Center. Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

What's hot at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show

Sabrina Livermore of Novi, checks out the interior of a 2018 Ferrari 488GTB during the Gallery held at Cobo Center.
Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK

What's hot at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show

Evan Saunders, 32 of Pasadena, CA rides on a URB-E electric scooter at AutoMobili-D at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit on Jan. 17, 2018. The model weighs 35 pounds, has a range of 20 miles with a top speed of 18 mph, all on one charge.

DETROIT — Every major auto show usually has at least one concept car, an exercise in automotive design meant to ignite passions and imagination about the future of transportation.

This year's North American International Auto Show, which opens to the public Saturday, is no exception. During this week's press preview, some concepts were viewed as being fairly detached from reality, such as Infiniti's Q Inspiration or Chinese automaker GAO's Enverge. Others, such as Acura's RDX, are expected to foreshadow the actual looks of a production vehicle due to come to showrooms soon.

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the Nissan Xmotion concept car at the 2018 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan, on January 15, 2018.
The Detroit Auto Show got rolling on January 14, with international trade and tax cuts dominating the conversation, even as carmakers raced to meet Americans' seemingly insatiable appetite for trucks and SUVs. / AFP PHOTO / Jewel SAMADJEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images ORG XMIT: New Model ORIG FILE ID: AFP_WP9F3 JEWEL SAMAD, AFP/Getty Images

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Nissan Xmotion is rugged with a Japanese twist

On one hand, it looks like an urban attack vehicle. On the other, it has koi fish swimming across the video display on its dash.

Such is the Nissan Xmotion, caught between the looks of an American off-road SUV while at the same time having been given delicate Japanese touches referencing appreciation of nature.

“It draws inspiration from the Japanese aesthetics and techniques,” said Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s senior vice president of global design.

It has boomerang-shaped headlights in front and a wide grille with horizontal bars meant to invoke Japanese architecture. The taillight design, Nissan said, was inspired by Japanese woodwork and puzzles.

At its reveal, Nissan officials said the looks are likely to show up in future SUVs but wouldn't commit to whether the next Rogue or Pathfinder will be based on it.

The goal was a concept SUV that is “bringing celebration to everyday life, “ Albaisa said.

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Lexus concept sure to become luxury flagship

Lexus is the latest luxury automaker to express interest in creating what it calls a flagship crossover. That's a fancy way of saying big and plush.

The LF-1 Limitless concept is aimed at taking on BMW's soon-to-arrive X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS. It's sure to get built. The luxury brand has a need for a full-sized flagship crossover SUV that would be a counterpart to the LS sedan, Lexus General Manager Jeff Bracken confirmed.

Though the LF-1 was shown as a concept with only four seats, look for three rows when it eventually comes to production. Lexus has large SUVs now, but they are more truck-based than the crossovers that have flooded the market.

Chinese automaker reveals its SUV concept

GAC Motor, a Chinese automaker, is trying to show it is not only ready to sell a crossover in the U.S. in two years, but is offering a vision of the future as well.

That vision is the Enverge, a weird silver vehicle with a giant side-opening clamshell-style door. GAC describes Enverge as "its first compact new-energy concept SUV designed for the North American market."

Besides the giant door, the car's other unusual feature is that, at least from the outside, it doesn't appear to have side windows.

GAO said in a statement that Enverge is meant to showcase "cutting-edge technologies" and the possibilities for vehicle electrification, networking and intelligent systems. Just how isn't quite apparent.

Rear end of the Infiniti Q Inspiration concept during the 2018 North American International Auto Show held at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit on Monday, Jan. 15, 2018. (Via OlyDrop) Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press

DETROIT, MI-JANUARY 15: The new Infiniti Q Inspiration concept vehicle makes its debut at the 2018 North American International Auto Show January 15, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. More than 5,100 journalists from 61 countries attend the NAIAS each year. The show opens to the public January 20th and ends January 28th. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775096707 ORIG FILE ID: 905276242 Bill Pugliano, Getty Images

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Infiniti offers stylish concept car

Infiniti hatched a stunning, long concept that is aimed at how the trend toward smaller engines will change car design.

Because it's a big car with only a 4-cylinder engine, the Q Inspiration Concept has a shortened hood. It can devote more space to the cabin.

The cabin has a minimalist look. It takes its inspiration from a Tokyo residential design — no surprise considering Infiniti is the luxury unit of Japan’s Nissan. Each of the four seats has its own touch-screen, showing that the concept puts a premium on connectivity.

“As a new wave of technologies begins to take shape, our Detroit concept car heralds a new generation of Infiniti,” Albaisa said.

The 2019 Acura RDX prototype is introduced during the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in Detroit on Monday, January 15, 2018.(Photo: Romain Blanquart, Detroit Free Press)

Acura RDX concept bigger, has better fuel economy

Acura’s new RDX is only a concept, but it will soon be a production vehicle that promises to be the brand's most popular model.

The sleek five-passenger SUV uses a new architecture that’s exclusive to Honda’s luxury brand and will feature a 2-liter turbocharged engine and 10-speed automatic transmission when it goes on sale this summer.

The 2019 RDX’s wheelbase is 2.5 inches longer than the current model. The track is 1.2 inches wider.

The new architecture is lighter and stiffer for better handling and fuel efficiency.

The interior features more passenger room and a standard panoramic sunroof. The unusual control layout consists of a touchpad on the center console linked to a 10.2-inch display screen rising from the dashboard.